Sea Urchins (oursins!) or members of the Echinoidea are of course-the echinoderms that look like a big spiny ball (this includes sand dollars and sea biscuits!). Sea urchin specimens comprise an incredibly diverse (and important) collection in Paris with holdings from all over the world-especially from the tropical Indo and South Pacific! Undoubtedly many new species await description!

So for example here we have the very incredible looking Chondrocidaris gigantea

Others from the tropics are distinctive and RED but remain sadly, unidentified. Is this a new species awaiting discovery??

In addition to the above "regular" urchins, here are some cleaned tests (again-the skeleton of an urchin with all the spines removed) of some "irregular urchins" (distantly related to sand dollars).

A test of Schizaster edwardsi from the Atlantic...

I believe this one was called Breynia but not sure which species.

But why limit yourself to enjoying only the outside of these skeletons when you can go INSIDE?? No-not x-rays...but old-school careful dissection...

Judge, naturalist, geologist.Gustave Cotteau made ​​a career in the judiciary while devoting himself to paleontological studies. It was a judge in civil court Coulommiers civil court judge in Auxerre (1867), and retired in 1874.As a scientist, he devoted himself to the research and study of living and fossil echinoids, which he had a collection of over 500 species. With numerous articles in newsletters and journals of learned societies which he belongs, he continued the publication of the collection founded by Alcide d'Orbigny in 1840, Paleontology French. He was curator of the town of Auxerre.Secretary-General of the Institute of Provinces, responsible for publishing the reports of international conferences of Prehistoric Anthropology and Archaeology and the annual reports on the progress of geology and paleontology in France from 1858 to 1869...

1 comment:

I don't remember how I ended up at your blog, I do know I love it! I'm amazed at this animals. I remember learning about them in middle school, so to see them again it's great. Thank you, a lot, for sharing your knowledge and your work and your curiosity through the web.There's now a mid-twenties woman in Guadalajara, México, who loves your blog!

About Me

I pursue starfish related adventure around the world with a critical eye and an appreciation for weirdness.
Support has been courtesy of the National Science Foundation but the views and opinions presented herein are mine and do not reflect the opinions of them or any affiliated institutions.
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